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No federal permit to keepDevario auropurpureus
Devario auropurpureus
Fishes › Carp, barbs, minnows, loaches (Cypriniformes) › Danionidae (Danios and rasboras)
Inlecypris auropurpurea is a small species of danionin fish endemic to Lake Inle in Myanmar.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 2.0 in / 5 cm; the largest recorded was 3.9 in).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 72–75°F (range recorded for this species).
- Hardness: 10–25 dGH.
- Layout: An open-water swimmer: needs long, open swimming space with few obstacles.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 35 × 12 in (roughly 21 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 68–75 °F, pH 6–8, 3–15 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament peaceful; a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; suited to a community tank.
- Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Best maintained in a densely-planted tank and an excellent choice for the carefully-aquascaped set-up.”
- Diet: “Preys chiefly on insects and aquatic invertebrates in nature.”
- Tankmates: “This species is peaceful but will not compete well with larger or more boisterous tankmates.”
- Breeding: “Like many small cyprinids this species scatters eggs randomly, typically among aquatic vegetation, and does not exhibit parental care.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Danios and rasboras
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: These Asian fishes occupy habitats ranging from zebra-danio pools and rice paddies to shaded harlequin streams, rocky Devario streams and planted galaxy-rasbora wetlands. [fg159-zebra, fg159-harlequin, fg159-giant, fg159-galaxy]. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Use at least 90 × 30 cm (36 × 12 in) for zebra danios.
- Harlequins require at least 60 × 30 cm (24 × 12 in), shaded planted cover and subdued light.
- Devario aequipinnatus needs at least 120 × 45 cm (48 × 18 in), oxygenated water, moderate flow and a tight lid.
- Galaxy rasboras need dense planting and broken sight lines in at least 45 × 30 cm (18 × 12 in), with gentle sponge filtration.
- Match chemistry: harlequins pH 5.0–7.5, 1–12 dGH; galaxy rasboras pH 6.5–7.5, 5–15 dGH.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 64.4–77°F |
Diet
- Quality flakes or granules sized to the fish.
- Live or frozen Daphnia and Artemia.
- Bloodworms for zebra danios, harlequins and Devario.
- Small sinking foods for galaxy rasboras, which rarely feed at the surface.
Social life
- Keep zebra danios and harlequins in groups of at least 8–10. Galaxy males spar: dense cover and larger groups distribute aggression. Active Devario can overwhelm timid feeders.
Health watch
- Pseudoloma microsporidiosis in zebra danios.
- Pleistophora infection and columnaris can produce similar white lesions in zebra danios.
- Nipped fins among rival galaxy males.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It is a schooling species associated with submerged vegetation. It is harvested for aquarium trade, and may be sold under the common name "Lake Inle Danio" or "Lake Inle Trout Danio" in some tropical fish retailers.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Inlecypris auropurpurea” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater, in lakes. Inhabits lake with dense aquatic vegetation. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 72–75 °F (22–24 °C), hardness 10–25 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 72–75 °F.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | Inlecypris auropurpurea is a small species of danionin fish endemic to Lake Inle in Myanmar. It is a schooling species associated with submerged vegetation. It is harvested for aquarium trade, and may be sold under the common name "Lake Inle Danio" or "Lake Inle Trout Danio" in some tropical fish retailers. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Wild diet | In the wild, this species preys chiefly on insects and aquatic invertebrates within its habitat. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Behavior | Inlecypris auropurpurea is known as a peaceful inhabitant in most aquariums, but tends to not compete well with larger or more boisterous tank mates, where it can encounter difficulty feeding against more robust species. Similar to most danio species it can be skittish, but this behavior can be reduced by the adding different types of floating plants or maintaining it alongside other open swimming species. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Appearance and size | Inlecypris auropurpurea can grow to a max standard length of around 60 t0 80 mm on average. They sport a bright purple and blue striped coloration, and are sexually dimorphic with mature females being more robust, less colourful, and a little larger than males. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Inhabits lake with dense aquatic vegetation. — FishBase |
| History and naming | Inlecypris: from Inlé, is a reference to Inlé Lake, Myanmar, in which this species is endemic, and Cypris, a common suffix for cyprinid genera. auropurpureus: originating from the Latin aurum, meaning 'gold', and purpureus, meaning 'clothed in purple' in reference to the Danio's bright striped coloration. It can reach 10 cm in total length. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Common length to maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
pH
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 35 × 12 in (about 21 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Seriously Fish: Zebra danio (Danio / Brachydanio rerio) Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish: Trigonostigma heteromorpha Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish: Devario aequipinnatus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish: Danio / Celestichthys margaritatus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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